Lost Universe - Decrescendo
by Tachikawa Mimi
Summary: A dark fic. O.o; I usually don't write these...but this is another after-the-series fic...but it's way different. I promise. ^^; Actually, Rail's the character of focus, for the most part in this little series...Please read and review, I'd be so grateful!
1. Chapter One: The Execution

Lost Universe Fanfic

_Author's Notes: Okay. Well, even before I became well-known in the Digimon community, I have been well-established in the Lost Universe community. I am good friends with the webmistress of www.swordbreaker.com, and I have for over two years been known as Neena Marcury all over the place, dominantly in the only Lost Universe RPG I am aware of..._

_Anyway. Lost Universe has been one of my favorite series for the longest time--I've been a Rail fanatic forever. ^o^v So Rail is the main character of this short little series. Right now, I have no CLUE where I'll be going with this...but all suggestions and requests are welcome. I love all of the Lost Universe characters. Rail and Neena just happen to be my favorites._

_On with the fic! _

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Nothing?"

"That's what he said."

A young officer's shoulders relaxed, and he sighed. "Insane."

"I dunno, I'm not sure if I could eat a meal knowing I'd die after finishing." another officer filled out a document on the clipboard.

"What _could_ you do?"

"At least he's the last of them. I thought they'd never stop coming."

"Nightmare's a huge corporation. There's hundreds still out there that'll probably never be convicted."

Millenium Feria Nocturne was the only one that was looking around the dimly-lit room. There wasn't much to see--plain brown walls on three sides, and a glass window in front of her. There were also two guards, which stood silently at the door, and neither seemed to even do so much as breathe.

There was a deathly still in the room. Milly could hear Kane Blueriver slowly inhale next to her. She turned to look at him, and to Canal Vorfeed, who sat on his opposite side.

Kane's chest lowered as he exhaled. His eyes were frozen on the glass panel in front of him. his lips were tightly pulled to a line, and his brow was coldly furrowed.

"...it's stuffy in here..." he quietly uttered.

Milly blinked, and noticed the tips of her fingers and Kane's were nearly blue.

Canal Vorfeed didn't look to Kane. She simply watched an officer bring in the man the two younger officers were speaking of previously.

He certainly didn't look like someone to be pitied. He had a smug look on his face, even though his wrists were bound together.

Milly studied Canal's face. Canal was never easy to read...her face was straight, much like Kane's. But her violet eyes were much softer than Blueriver's, they usually were...it was as though Canal was thinking 'I wish there was some other way, but you made your own choices...'. She was accepting, but regretful still.

Milly scolded herself for even attempting to figure Canal out. She vowed to quit doing that months ago.

...but Kane...

Milly looked to Kane, and couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. She looked back to the window, at the convict before them. She was honest with herself, she always had to be...she was more concerned for her colleagues than with this stranger about to be put to death before her eyes.

...was that really all that wrong?

Kane tugged at his mantle's cape as a chill came through the room. Neena Marcury's fingers clutched into her uniform's sleeves, and she pressed her knees together.

The convict's ankles and wrists were strapped down to a table along his sides, and two large straps were fastened across his chest and waist. The security officers made sure they were secure, and stepped aside.

Rail Claymore casually sat next to Neena, his arms crossed, and his face dark and grim. He licked his lips once, and whispered quickly to his assistant--

"Damn, it's cold in here."

Neena took the opportunity to look away from the window, and turned to Rail.

Rail kept his eyes on the convict.

Neena dug her fists into her lap, and continued to watch the execution.

One security guard approached the convict. "What shall be put down as your final statement?"

The convict just barely turned his head, and grinned silently.

Milly's brow furrowed at such arrogance. _This man is about to reach the most humbling moment of his existance! How could he have such nerve?!_

Kane and Canal both showed no reaction. The officer turned away, and as he exited, he rose a hand to signal another officer, who stood next to a panel on the wall.

The convict's eyes shifted to a red and white clock on a solid white wall.

The officer opened teh panel, in which there were three glass viles. He pressed a button beneath them, and the first glass vile's contents emptied into an IV in the felon's arm.

Twenty seconds passed, and the second vile emptied.

The five watched, each with a drastically different expression.

The convict made fists as the second injection finished. The heartbeat sped up on the monitor.

As another twenty seconds passed, Neena sat up stiffly, and Kane's brow furrowed more. Canal blinked a few quick times, as though to push back a reaction.

The third injection emptied, and the smallest hand on the clock seemed to drag on forever...the convict's pulse began to slow. He inhaled, and slowly exhaled. Slower...slower his pulse became, until he closed his eyes, and his fists began to relax.

The pulse monitor's solid beep rang through the speakers. Neena backed up in her seat, and Rail stilled her by putting a hand over one of her wrists.

The officer re-entered, and switched off the monitor. He took a stopwatch, and checked for the pulse. He looked to the window, and seemed to stare straight at Kane. "Dead at 17:26."

Milly looked at Kane. His shoulders were still stiff, and his face still stern.

Kane remained that way, staring at the window, even when the two curtains were completely pulled shut in front of him. 


	2. Chapter Two: The Office

Lost Universe Fanfic

_I'm not really sure if I like posting in such SHORT chapters, but...for effectiveness (and the fact that there's a bunch of parts that just don't seem to flow right...), I'm chopping them up into bits and pieces, in case I never add to this again. --; (I started this thing over a year ago...and just recently added to it.)_

_Anyway. ^^ You know the drill!_

Rail and Neena didn't say a word on the elevator. They had yet to file a report for the execution, and it would be a tedious task, for more than one reason. Neena had never filed for an execution before. Although she had training for it, it was a complicated process. On top of that, being shaken up must be taken into consideration as a hindering factor.

Neena could imagine plently of things to say to Rail, to break the silence, but she wasn't in the mood to say much of anything.

The elevator door opened, and the staff on their floor all looked up.

Rail scowled as the office clapped, and Neena submissively looked to the floor as she walked beside him.

"Last one, Rail-keibu!" an officer said. "It's about damned time!" he turned to Neena. "Neena-kun! Congratulations on your first execution witness!"

"Oh, uh..." Neena blushed, still shaken up.

"I find congratulations on such an event to be distasteful at this time..." Rail urged Neena forward, to their office. "Leave her alone, people."

Neena silently entered Rail's office. The Leiutenant sighed as he collapsed in his chair, and half-heartedly brushed a file in front of him to the side.

Neena stood in front of Rail's desk, looking at him expectantly. A frown tugged at her mouth, and her brow furrowed.

Rail sighed, and closed his eyes as he leaned forward on his desk. He rested his forehead on his clasped together hands, and paused.

Neena lowered her eyes silently, and suddenly looked behind her shoulder to see quite a few of her co-workers nervously watching the two of them. She walked to the doorway, and smiled--giving her co-workers a victory-v before shutting the door.

Neena looked at the door for a moment before turning back to face Rail.

Rail opened his eyes, and saw the smiling Neena resting her hands on the edge of his desk. He sat up, and looked up to Neena.

"Would you like me to get out the obituary papers?" Neena quietly queried.

Rail paused, giving Neena a blank stare. "You want to start that already?"

Neena's smile faded. "Was there something else I needed to do?"

"Not really." Rail stood, and turned around to look down on the city below him. He held his arms, and squinted as the sun came out from behind a cloud.

Neena rested a few fingers on the file Rail pushed away a moment ago, and slid it towards her. She picked it up, and pulled out a few of the papers.

Rail turned around, facing away from the sun.

Neena gasped quietly, and blushed as Rail gently took the file and papers from her hands.

Rail slipped the papers back in, and tapped the edge of the manila file on his chin. "I'm rather thirsty, Neena-kun."

"Uh...! Yessir!" Neena piped, and quickly jumped at the opportunity to help Rail.

Rail watched Neena leave the office, and then looked down at the file in his hand. He stood over his desk as he spread out the file's contents on it. Leaning forward on his desk, he scanned the list of offences on the guy--treason, theft, 1st degree murder, rape--

Rail's eyes narrowed. "I'd have killed the bastard myself..." he muttered. He turned back to the windows, and stared at the nearly clear sky. He smiled to himself, almost bitterly. "...but just how much better are you?" 


	3. Chapter Three: The Coffeemaker

Lost Universe Fanfic

_Neena is without a doubt my favorite character in Lost Universe. It used to be Rail (and sometimes it still is...droooool...), but Neena is just so fabulous. I guess after roleplaying her for over two years, I've added a few dimensions to her...her devotion to Rail, her personal life...she's so sweet, I can't help but love her! Unusual, huh?_

_Anyway! Please review this as well! I like detailed reviews! ^^_

Neena felt the eyes of her colleages on her back. She did her best to ignore it while she boiled water in the coffee-maker.

Neena frowned as she filled the machine with water. _I wish I could find a way to get Rail-keibu to talk more. It's so awkward like this._

Not that Rail spent much time in deep conversations with Neena...but usually once Neena said something to him, his guard would go down, and he'd open up a bit more.

Neena clenched her teeth in frustration, messing with the swtich of the coffee-maker. "What's going on?" she muttered, and turned to look at the plug. She smiled, and shook her head in realization that it wasn't plugged in.

She bent down next to the outlet, and picked up the plug. _I'm glad I didn't wind up breaking anything..._Neena stuck the plug in, and it sparked violently, causing Neena to shriek and fall back.

The lights and computers on that floor flickered out immediately after, and the officers and staff began to groan and mutter.

Neena furrowed her brow, embarassed as usual, but now feeling even worse to put unnecessary burden on Rail. "Sorry!!" She called, cowering behind the coffee table.

An identically uniformed girl with short black hair walked up to the coffee table, and put her hands on her hips, smiling. "Even on one of the worst days of your life, you can't help but pull one on me, can you, Neena?"

Neena rested her hands in her lap. "You make it sound like I have some sort of control over it."

"That's what we like to think." the girl bent down next to Neena, and pulled out the plug. "Rail-keibu's running late, he's usually out here by now."

"Not yet." Neena smiled proudly. "He's got to straighten his desk first, then he's got a routine before walking out of his office." Neena held up an index finger. "First, he's loosening his colar, then straightening his jacket, tugging down on it a bit...Then he's got to push back his hair, and _now_ he comes out--"

Rail's office door slid open, and he paced out. "What blew it this time?"

"It's okay, Rail-keibu, we're already on it!" Neena's co-worker waved to him, and turned to the plug.

Neena shamefully kept her eyes lowered as Rail walked over.

"Your assistant here was trying to make you tea again." the girl examined the plug. "Man, Neena, y'really did a number on this one..."

Neena bowed deeply. "I'm sorry!"

"I'll go restart the circuit breaker..." Rail turned to walk to the other side of the floor.

"Rail-keibu! Bring some tape too, please!" Neena's co-worker called.

"Okay!" Rail replied, not turning around.

Neena kept her eyes lowered as her colleague examined the frayed cord. "I don't understand why they assigned me with Rail-keibu...you'd be so much better as his assistant."

"Who, me?" the black-haired girl grinned. "Because I'm more electronically inclined?"

Neena looked up. "Sounds silly?"

"Girl, I'd bore him in the first week!" she gasped. "You two are a team! A duo! Perfect match!"

Neena bashfully smiled. "That's going a bit far."

"Cheer up, Neena! You keep him on his toes! It's refreshing!" Neena's coworker winked.

The power went back on, and the office sighed in relief.

"Ignore them. They needed the break." Neena's colleague smiled.

Neena smiled back, and nodded.

Rail approached the two girls with a roll of insulation tape. "I've got it taken care of, you can go."

"Sir." the short-haired assistant stood, giving Neena a quick pat on the shoulder.

Rail knelt next to Neena, and took the chords from her.

Neena watched Rail's hands wrap a few layers of tape around the wires. They looked so firm and controlled. She looked up to see if the Inspector's face matched, which it did.

Rail tore off the tape, and smoothed it out. He looked at Neena, and with a smile, handed her the chord. "Thanks, Neena."

Neena whined deep in her throat. "Everyone has this idea that I did this on purpose!!"

Rail gave her a half-hearted smile, and stood to return to his office.

"Rail-keibu...!" Neena frowned, furrowing her brow.

Rail stopped at the doorway of his office, and glanced to Neena over his shoulder.

Neena sat there, holding the chord in her hands. She stared down at it. "...nothing."

Rail smiled, and tilted his head back slightly, raising his chin confidently.

Neena paused. Looking at the plug, she hesitantly pushed it back into the outlet, praying that it wouldn't spark again.

Fortunately, it went in without a glich. Neena felt a weight lift off of her shoulders, and she sighed with relief as she stood, using the counter with the coffee machine to hoist herself up.

Her heart sank, and she let out a frantic whimper when she saw smoke coming from the coffee maker. The digital clock on its base was going in a frenzy, reading scattered times. She saw that the water had already filtered through, and wa sbubbling hot. So she quickly unplugged the machine, and fanned at the smoke, which was beginning to release a foul odor with it...

She pulled out the pot of boiling water, and set it aside, still fanning at the smoke. She glanced back behind her shoulder, to see if anyone had taken notice to her faulty attempts.

...aaah~! Rail was still at his doorway, watching her!! Wasn't he back in his office by now?!

Neena felt a blush creep up her neck, and she swiftly spun back to the tea she was preparing. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end--she listened closely for the door of Rail's office to slide open and shut again...

...she poured the water into a kettle, the steam rising to her wrists, dampening them. She shut the kettle's lid clumsily. No sound came.

She closed her eyes, and lifted the tray she had carefully rested the kettle and cups on. She took a breath, and opened her eyes as she turned around to walk back into Rail's office.

He was still there! Standing there...his arms folded. He leaned against the doorway of his office, watching her with those sharp steel-colored eyes of his...

Neena stopped next to Rail at the doorway, and gave him a familiar nervous smile. "Did I forget something, Rail-keibu?"

"No." Rail casually said, his face relaxed, and his stare vacant. "I was just keeping an eye on you. Making sure you don't cause any more trouble."

Neena began to feel guilty, when she spotted a small smirk escape from Rail's mouth. She caught a quick wink from the Inspector as he turned to walk into his office.

Neena blinked, and followed him back in. 


	4. Chapter Four: The Bar

Lost Universe Fanfic

_Okay--this part might appeal to those that were kinda nauseated with all of the NeenaxRail interaction--this is KanexRail stuff! ^o^ Whee! I really like this part, for some reason..._

"Can you handle that?"

Kane didn't look up as Rail took a seat next to him. He took another sip from his frosted beer mug.

Rail turned away from Kane, and placed his order. "Scotch with water, please."

Kane set down his mug, and sighed.

"Is it getting to you that bad?" Rail's voice was low.

"Not _that_ bad." Kane answered, his youthful tone not at all cloaked by his seriousness.

Rail's glass was set in front of him, and he lifted it. He took a sip, and leaned forward on the bar. "It gets to me."

Kane kept his eyes lowered, and he just slightly glanced to Rail.

"I have no problem with execution. I just don't like watching it." Rail drank some more,and set the glass down. "I don't see why innocents have to watch the bastard die...like it makes us feel good."

Kane polished off his beer. "Like Neena?"

"Like Milly."

Kane paused, and frowned a bit. "Milly's seen more than enough."

"See what I mean?"

"Yeah." Kane pushed himself up, and got off the stool.

Rail clutched Kane's shoudler, and the Trouble Contractor turned to him.

Rail set down his drink after finishing it. "Let me buy you a drink."

Kane smiled. "Aren't you crossing the line between your career and personal life?"

"Don't be an ass." Rail pushed Kane back down on the stool.

Kane shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask."

"Hey." Rail flagged the bartender. "I'd like another scotch, and he'd like another beer."

Kane sighed, and Rail spoke to him again.

"Trying to separate business and personal life is a joke. There's no way. They leak into eachother." Rail gazed forward.

Kane smiled, and said light-heartedly, "Well, if it gets me a free drink--!"

Rail smiled. "Out of all the bars, I had to choose this one..." he sighed.

"Pretty cool, I'd say."

Rail and Kane's drinks came, and Rail took a sip. "I hope I never get used to those."

Kane guzzled down a good portion of his beer. "Execution?"

"Unh..." Rail closed his eyes as he took a long sip of his scotch.

"You sure handled it well..." Kane set down his mug.

"I thought so." Rail finished his second scotch, and went to a third. "It's eating at me now, though."

"Because you held it in?" Kane watched Rail's second glass be taken up. "Why?"

Rail looked down at his halfway-empty glass. "It was Neena's first time."

Kane took a drink from his mug. "Oh..."

"No training prepares you for an execution..." Rail's gray eyes were dull in the dim lighting. "I've seen other assistants take leave for weeks at a time after witnessing their first."

Kane sweatdropped as Rail's third empty glass was taken away. "Hey..."

"Don't say anything, I know." Rail took a glass of water set in front of him. He sighed. "Damn. It's all over."

Kane nodded, and stared at his beer mug. "Doesn't feel like the triumphant close I wanted."

"Did you really expect it to?" Rail asked.

"Not really..." Kane leaned forward. "I don't really know what to do now."

Rail smiled, and gently set his water down. "Well...you have two women waiting for you to go home."

Kane ran his thumb down the edge of his beer mug. "They're always waiting for me...those two."

"Yeah." Rail's smile faded. "You can go home, and let them take care of you."

Kane paused, and picked up his mug. "Well, they can wait `til I finish my beer."

Rail cracked up, and laughed for a good fourty-five seconds or so.

Kane nervously sweatdropped. _It wasn't that funny..._

Rail was leaning over his drink, and his shoulders shook. He paused before looked back up. "You're the only man I know that would say that, Kane."

"Well..." Kane took another sip. "Those two cause me a lot of problems."

"Women are so troublesome..." Rail finished his water, and ordered another scotch.

"Tell me about it." Kane sighed with a smile. "But they certainly make life interesting."

"Interesting is a good word..." Rail took his scotch, and held it up. "I don't think I'd enjoy the universe as much without `em."

"To women?" Kane winked, and held up his mug.

Rail paused, and shrugged. "Why not?...to women."

Their glasses lightly tapped, and they drank.

Kane finished his beer, and ordered another one. In reference to a clock on the wall, he groaned. "Damn...is it eleven already?"

"Looks like it." Rail looked over to the clock. "I doubt your women would be waiting this late."

"I hope not." Kane began on his other beer. "Besides, after we've talked about them like we did..."

"...I don't think you deserve it." Rail finished his scotch.

"Yeah."

"Gonna head out soon?" Rail asked.

"In a bit. The noise is a nice diversion." Kane said. "Swordbreaker was too quiet."

"I see." Rail rested his elbows on the bar. "I didn't want to go home...silence is horrible after a day like this."

Kane smiled. "We're really wimps, huh?"

"Yeah..." Rail sighed. "I'd make my father sick, sitting here doing nothing."

"Great, now we get to hear about little Rail-chan's past."

"Shove it, we're drunk, I have the right."

"Hey, where else am I gonna hear it?"

Rail sighed, and shrugged. "Well, if you don't care to hear it..."

"No, that's okay." Kane replied.

"No, really. It's not that interesting anyway."

"But now you've got me wondering!"

"Then you shouldn't have complained." 


	5. Chapter Five: The Drive Home

Lost Universe Fanfic

_This is all I've got written so far for this fanfic...please give me some more ideas, everyone! It doesn't have to be NeenaxRail necessarily! ^^ Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed what I've written so far..._

Neena yawned as she exited the Universal Guardians Headquarters. She made her way down the sidewalk to the subway home. She passed by the usual stores, all closed, due to the late hour.

She slowed down as she approached Rail's car in front of the bar. She looked into the window, but couldn't get a good look inside. Her brow furrowed with concern. She walked in, and almost immediately gagged at the stench of cigars and cigarettes.

"Rail-keibu?" Neena prayed she wasn't mistaken. She'd hate to make conversations with a complete stranger in this place.

Another familiar face looked up to Neena as Rail turned around.

"Kane-san!" Neena's eyes widened.

"Neena." Rail looked to his assistant, who was still in uniform. "What are you doing here?"

Neena looked to Rail. "I worked late..." she looked to Kane. "Are Milly-san and Canal-san on Swordbreaker?"

"Yeah." Kane smiled. "Hey, Neena! Want a drink?"

Rail kicked Kane, and shifted his attention back to Neena.

Neena blushed, "I--well--your car was outside..."

Rail smiled, and pulled out a stool next to him. "Have a seat."

"No, thank you..." Neena timidly declined. "It's late..." she took Rail's arm, and urged him up. "Let me drive you home."

"I do have work tomorrow..." Rail sighed as he stood, his footing a little weak. "What about you, Kane?"

Kane smiled. "Swordbreaker's a walk from here, thanks."

"Suit yourself." Rail sighed again.

"You need rest..." Neena said as she walked Rail out of the bar.

"Don't come into a place like that again, Neena..." Rail mumbled.

Neena smiled a bit. "But you were in there, Rail-keibu."

Neena opened the passenger door, Rail leaning on her.

Rail muttered. "What's that mean...?" He straightened up. "Damn it, Neena! I'm not drunk enough to use a crutch!"

Neena blushed, and quickly bowed. "I'm sorry!"

Rail sighed, and stuck one hand in his pocket, and rested the other on one of Neena's shoulders. "Obviously I'm too drunk to watch my mouth, though..."

Neena kept her eyes lowered, "Uhm...would you like help in...?"

"I'm all right, Neena." Rail got in the car, and shut the door.

Neena got into the driver's seat, and began the car.

Rail rested his head on the back of the seat, and closed his eyes. He sighed.

"...what would you like for breakfast tomorrow, Rail-keibu?" Neena asked, pulling out into the street.

Rail paused, and opened his eyes. He turned his head a bit to look at Neena. "You're coming in tomorrow?"

"Of course!"

"You don't need the day?"

"It would just make me feel worse." Neena smiled, "Besides, I didn't plan to have anyone fill in for me tomorrow."

Rail closed his eyes again, and smiled.

"Have you eaten?"

"I'm not hungry."

"...." Neena frowned, and turned onto a street. "You sure?"

"Yeah..." Rail replied.

"What's so funny?" Neena noticed the smile on Rail's face.

"...no, nothing..." Rail quietly replied. "Would you drive around for a bit? I really don't want to head home yet."

"...is everything alright?" Neena quickly glanced to Rail, and looked back to the road.

Rail sat up, and looked back to Neena. "Are you honestly not bothered by today?"

"...honestly?" Neena asked, and then blushed. "Of course I am..." she paused. "But what good would I be to you if I showed it?"

Rail blinked once, and looked out of the window.

Neena kept her eyes on the road, and listened to the cars speeding by outside.

"...I wouldn't mind so much." Rail muttered below his breath.

"...I beg your pardon?" Neena cheerfully queried.

"...it wouldn't be so bad, you taking care of me."

Neena blushed, and turned to look at Rail, her eyes huge. She saw a glare in the corner of her eye, and she turned back to face the road, only to wind up dodging out of the way of a car she was about to run into.

Both she and Rail screamed at the top of their lungs.

"My assistant is trying to kill me!!!" Rail clutched onto the seat.

"I'm so soooooorrryyyy!!!" Neena wailed, spinning the steering wheel quickly.

Neena and Rail both caught their breath as they reached the stoplight.

Neena's face was a deep shade of red. She looked to the frazzled Rail, nervously smiling. "Home?"

Rail was still catching his breath. "Not yet. Just drive on the highway for a bit."

Neena began to accelerate again. "Why don't you want to go home?"

"Same reason you don't." Rail replied, the streetlights shining on his face.

Neena paused, and blinked. Quietly, she muttered, "I had work to do."

"Nothing that could've have been finished tomorrow." Rail calmly replied.

Neena gripped the steering wheel, and stiffened her shoulders. "The office has people."

"Yeah."

Neena's brow furrowed, and she sheepishly continued. "You're cruel, Rail-keibu."

Rail turned to Neena again. "How so?"

"Forcing me to admit that I'm lonely. It injures my pride a bit." Neena frowned.

Rail tilted the back of his seat a bit. "At least you can admit it."

Neena was afraid to look to Rail again, being on the highway, and all.

Rail sighed. "Kane's got it better than he'd like to admit, I think."

"Oh?" Neena smiled at the subject change.

"Just stating an observation." Rail rose his pitch for a moment, and folded his arms over his chest.

Neena tilted her head a bit, and watched the road. "At the same time, I think Milly-san is grateful to Kane-san."

"Why's that?" Rail stared at the roof of the car, his words slurring a bit. Neena was glad they were quickly approaching Rail's apartment. She'd never actually been _in_ his apartment, nor did Rail ever know that she'd been to it.

It was ridiculous, actually. She made it a point to go by his apartment on occasion, for no reason.

Well, no _good_ reason, anyway. As much as Neena tried to cover it with excuses, such as taking her uniforms to the dry cleaner's near his apartment (no matter how far out of her way it was...), she passed by routinely after work, trying to spot any traces of women coming to pay her handsome Inspector a visit.

Much to her pleasure, she hadn't found anything except for showering and a good night's sleep waiting for Rail at his apartment at night.

Back to Rail's question.

"Why?" she repeated, and laughed. "Isn't it obvious? The security of having someone around." She drove up to the sidewalk in front of Rail's apartment, and kept the car running. She sat back. "It can get scary living alone. Milly-san won't admit to it, but she feels safer with the thought that Kane-san's always around, looking after her." She frowned, and then turned to Rail, who was leaned back in his seat, staring at the roof still. She held up an index finger, "And Kane-san _is_ watching after her, as much as he may deny it, I can tell!"

"Of course he is. A fool can see that." Rail said with a sigh, sitting up.

Neena's eyes widened as Rail undid his seatbelt, and she pressed her back against her seat as Rail reached over her, and took the keys out of the ignition.

"Come upstairs with me." Rail sounded very casul as he spoke in exhausted sighs. But that didn't take away from the boldness of the request. 


End file.
